Sponsored & local programs

The programs described here are designed and delivered by Extension, in partnership with community groups and organizations who recruit participants and help to manage the programs. Typically, participants come from the sponsors' communities or organizations. Read more about these programs by clicking the links below, or contacting our program educator.

Strengthen Leadership

The U-Lead Advisory Academy's (ULAA) mission is to grow Extension stakeholders' leadership skills, knowledge and networks, and link Extension stakeholders to University of Minnesota resources.

NELD North Central builds leaders in Cooperative Extension at all levels to provide them with the vision, courage and tools to lead in a changing world.

Since 1985, the Emerging Leadership Program (ELP) has worked to sustain and create a network of community leaders across northwest and west Central Minnesota with a unique focus on couples who are emerging as leaders in the agricultural and natural resource sectors.

The Integrative Community Leadership Program is designed to bring together current and emerging community leaders with diverse backgrounds to better understand their resources and build a common future to address their community's issues and needs.

MASWCD Leadership Development
The MASWCD Leadership Institute is a partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension that provides individuals with skills to excel as leaders in conservation.

The Bush Fellowship Program helps individuals to increase their capacity for and improve their practice of leadership while working with others to solve tough problems in their communities.

The Emerging Leadership Program exists to sustain and create a network of community leaders in northwest and west central Minnesota focusing on agriculture and natural resource issues.

Connect Communities

McLeod for Tomorrow (Sponsored by McLeod County)
Empowering McLeod County communities to build a better tomorrow through communication, education, and networking.

Bridging Brown County
Strengthening the Brown County community by building relationships of understanding and communication.

Connecting Nicollet County (Sponsored by Nicollet County)
Connecting people, creating awareness of resources, and building leadership throughout Nicollet County.

Engage Citizens

The Southeast Minnesota Civic Engagement Cohort on water quality is designed to bring together agency/organizational staff and others working on water quality to strengthen their skills in civic engagement, share information on water quality management and build networks to partner when addressing water quality.

The Root River Watershed Citizen's Group is designed to provide educational organizing and programming on civic engagement and co-learning on water quality management to local emerging and current citizen leaders to build their civic engagement skill set and create a citizen-led infrastructure which supports local watershed planning and implementation efforts.